. >>> and from angela merkel -- he had to make a difficult decision. just some of the reaction that's coming in today. joining mess is rome bureau chief claudio lavagna, and george weigel from washington. claudio, i want to start with you. we have part of the pope's statement. in it he said that both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength in the last few months has deteriorated to me to the extend i have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry. with hindsight being 20/20, had there been any rumors that something like this was coming? >> reporter: we possibly benedict xvi even hinted at it himself, he said if he felt his strength and his body wasn't up to speed to comply with the duties that were -- that are expected of a pontiff, and very heavy duties like traveling around, attending ceremonies, working nonstop. at 85, that's tiring for everybody, for any man his age, let alone a pontiff and the pope and leader of 1 billion catholics around the world, but nobody really believed that would happen or nobody believed t